Royal Caribbean International announced on Friday that research astronaut Kellie Gerardi was selected as the godmother of the Star of the Seas.
As the 90th woman in history to fly to space, Gerardi will christen the new Icon-class ship during a ceremony in Port Canaveral on Aug. 20, 2025.
According to Royal Caribbean, the godmother is a “payload specialist, researcher, children’s book author and devoted mother who inspires millions of people daily.”
The Star of the Seas was initially set to be christened by singer Diana Ross, who was announced as the ship’s godmother in June.
In early August, Royal Caribbean confirmed that Ross was unable to join the ship’s christening ceremony, thus stepping down from the position.
After being delivered by the Meyer Turku shipyard in early July, the Star of the Seas is set to welcome its first paying guests on Aug. 16, 2025.
Sailing from Port Canaveral, the new LNG-powered vessel is set to offer a series of showcase cruises before embarking on its official maiden voyage later this month.
The three-night sailings feature visits to Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Following its christening ceremony, the Star of the Seas embarks on its inaugural cruise on Aug. 31, 2025.
For its first week-long cruise, the 250,800-ton ship is offering an itinerary to the Western Caribbean that features visits to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatán.
Sailing year-round from Port Canaveral, the vessel is also set to offer cruises to the Eastern Caribbean visiting San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts and more.
Following the Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is set to take delivery of two additional Icon-class ships, including the Legend of the Seas in 2026 and a yet-to-be-named vessel in 2027.
